Cup holder



Oct. 31', 1961 s. DUDNICK 3,006,455

CUP HOLDER Filed Oct. 1. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 24 lo a 1 4 25 ,6 l3 I I5 ,7 I {I 25 /4 4 I 26 I I0 25 5 l I 27 a 26 27 IN VENTOR SOL IS DUO/VI CK ATTORNEY S. DUDNICK Oct. 31, 1961 CUP HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1. 1957 INVENTOR SOL/5 DUDN/CK ATTORNEY MINI iv (v 0x0 one one a? o? United States Patent ,0 6, 5 I CUP HOLDER Solis Dudnick, 3111 W. 77th St., Prairie Village 15, Kans. Filed Oct. 1, 1957, Ser. No. 687,443 6 Claims. c1. 198'-1'62) The present invention relates to holding mechanisms for paper cups and more specifically to a mechanism for securely holding and rotating paper cups during spray coating of the interior of the cups.

In the manufacture of thin-Walled paper cups, and after the actual fabrication of the cup structure, it is conventional to coat the cups with an impregnating material for rendering them moisture-proof. At present wax and specific plastics are widely employed as impregnating materials; the wax normally being employed for cups intended to hold cold drinks and the plastic materials normally being employed for cups intended to hold hot drinks. The present invention is specifically related to the manufacture of plastic coated cups although it is equally applicable to the fabrication of wax-coated cups. In consequence of the high cost of the plastic material, it is essential that a minimum amount of plastic be employed in the operation. It is equally essential that the liquid contacting surfaces of the cups be completely coated. In accordance with the teachings of the prior art a thin uniform coating is achieved by rotating the cup at a very high velocity during the coating procedure so that the plastic material is spread over the cup surface uniformly in consequence of the centrifugal forces erated by rotation. Difficulty has been experienced with the prior art apparatus for holding the cups during the high velocity rotation thereof. The type of holding apparatus that may be employed is limited by the necessity of completely coating the interior of the cup preferable also the lip of the cup. Therefore, the cup must be engaged on its exterior surface and at present helical-spring devices are commonly employed. In spite of much work on these devices, difliculty is still experienced in retaining the cups on the holders during rotation.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a rugged and inexpensive holder for paper cups which will securely hold and rotate the cups during coat ing without interfering or obstructing the surfaces of the cup which are to be coated.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cup holder which is positionable against the bottom of the cup and within the short skirt of the cup which depends downwardly from the bottom thereof.

In accordance with the present invention there is pro vided a cup holder having a head portion which is positionable against the bottom of the cup, but which is of an iiisuflicient diameter to engage the interior surface of the downwardly depending skirt commonly provided on such cups. Disposed immediately below the head portion of the holder are a plurality, preferably three, spring-biased spurs which are biased towards engagement with the interior surface of the skirt. The spurs are appropriately downwardly tapered so that upon engagement by a reciproeatable sleeve the spurs may be retracted upon upward movement of the sleeve so that the cup may be positioned on the head and thereafter extended into engagement with the skirt by downward movement of the sleeve. The bias force of the springs may be consider-able so that the cup is securely held on the head which engages the bottom of the cup. In consequence of the fact that the entire holding portion of the mechanism is disposed within the bottom skirt of the cup there is no interference with the coating apparatus.

It is apparent that it would be difficult to drop a cup on the head portion and release the spurs sufficiently rapidly to grab the cup before it bounced ofi, assuming that it was possible to drop the cup squarely on the head of the holder each and every time. In consequence, it is desirable to provide a guide arrangement for the cup so as to direct it to and position it on the cup holder. It is further necessary that the positioning mechanism be removed or withdrawn before the cup is to be coated so that the positioning apparatus does not interfere with the rotation of the cup or the spraying apparatus. Further in accordance with the invention the guide mechanism for positioning the cup on the holder comprises two arcuate members of substantially identical construction which are adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of and slightly above the holder adjacent the location where the cups are to be loaded onto the holder. These arcuate members have internal surfaces which conform substantially with an external surface of the cup which is adjacent to the guide members when the cup is contacting the head of the holder. In consequence, even if a cup is not dropped exactly in the right position to proceed immediately to the holder, the guide means direct the cup thereto and insure that it is properly positioned. Various methods may be employed for appropriately positioning the arcuate guide members adjacent the holder during the loading operation and in an illustrated embodiment of the invention the means employed comprise two endless chain conveyors disposed on opposite sides of the conveyor which carries the cup holders. Each of the chain conveyors carries a plurality of arms extending perpendicularly out from the conveyor and each of the arms terminates in an arcuate member. The arms on the conveyors on opposite sides of the holder conveyor are transversely aligned so that one arcuate member is positioned on each side of the holder as it reaches a loading station. In this manner a pair of arcuate members are brought into association with a holder immediately prior to the holder coming adjacent the cup loading station and the arcuate members remain positioned adjacent the holder for a predetermined time required to assure that the holder has engaged the cup. The positioning of the cup on the head of the holder is not necessarily precise in lieu of the utilization of three spurs. It is well known that three points in space define a circle and, therefore, the utilization of the three spurs insures appropriate alignment of the cup on the holder, even though it may not be exactly aligied on the head when initially placed thereon.

I It may be seen from the above that the apparatus of the present invetition provides a simple and rugged holder with relatively few moving parts employed in the holder, but one which positively and securely retains the cup dining rotation thereof. In view of the few moving parts employed in the holder, the holder may be easily maintained' and is long lived. The guide mechalso comprises very few members, and therefore is also easily maintained. 7

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cup holder having a head portion and having a plurality of spur members biased outwardly so as to engage the interior surface of the downwardly depending skirt of a cup when the cup is appropriately arranged on the holder.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cup holder having a plurality of outwardly biased spurs, the spurs being tapered inwardly so as to cooperate with a reciprocating'sleeve for the purpose of extending and e rac in th spurs.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cup holder having a circular head portion adapted to engage the bottom of the cup within the area defined by a downwardly depending skirt and to employ a pair of arcuate members disposed on opposite sides of the 3 holder to guide the cup onto the head portion of the holder.

The above and still further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of one specific embodiment thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-section view in elevation of the cup holder of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of the spur holder of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the conveyor and guide mechanism of the present invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view in elevation of the conveyor and guide mechanisms taken along line 44 of FIGURE 3.

Referring specifically to FIGURE 1 of the accompanying drawings, the cup holder of the present invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a cylindrical spindle 2, the upper end of which, as viewed in FIGURE 1, is provided with an axiallyextending, threaded bore 3. The bore 3 is adapted to receive a threaded bolt 4 suitably secured to the lower end of a generally cylindrical spindle extension 5 having a T-shaped vertical cross-section. The lower portion of the spindle extension 5 is of a somewhat smaller diameter than the spindle 2 while the cross-member of the T-shaped section is of somewhat greater diameter than the spindle 2. The diameter of the two sections of the spindle extension 5 are not critical except to the extent that the diameter of the lower portion is preferably not greater than that of the spindle 2, while the diameter of the upper member is determined by considerations to be discussed subsequently.

Extending vertically upward from the upper surface of the spindle extension 5 is a stub or bolt 6 which is axially aligned with the center axis of the extension 5. The stub 6 engages the threaded periphery of a bore 7 disposed centrally of a spur holder 8. Referring specifically now to FIGURES l and 2 of the accompanying drawings, the spur holder 8 comprises a vertically extending, cylindrical body member 9 and a head plate 10 of a somewhat greater diameter than the body member 9. The diameter of the head plate 10 is determined by only the diameter of the short bottom skirt of the cup to be held by the holder 1; it being essential that the diameter of the head plate 10 be less than the internal diameter of the skirt. Equally important is the fact that the head plate 10 must be of suflicient diameter to provide a base surface for supporting the cup.

The body member 9 of the spur holder 8 is provided with three slots 11 which extend vertically from the bottom of the spur holder 8 to approximately the bottom of the head portion 10 and in the horizontal dimension extend from the periphery of the body member 9 to within a short distance of the center bore 7'. The slots 11 are displaced about the circumference of the body member 9, 120 on center and are of generally rectangular cross-section as viewed from the bottom of the holder such as in FIGURE 2 of the accompanying drawings. Each slot 11 is adapted to receive a spur 12 of a uniform width so as to be guided by the side walls defining the slots 11. In the vertical dimension the spur has a vertical wall 13 which is disposed adjacent the inner wall of the slots 11 and a wall 14 which tapers upwardly and outwardly to the holder 1 as viewed in FIGURE 1 and terminates in a lip 15 which extends outwardly from the wall 14 by a relatively short distance. The outer edge 16 of the lip 15 is the skirt engaging surface of the holder and, therefore, has a radius of curvature which is approximately equal to the radius of curvature of the skirt.

The spurs 12 are biased outwardly of the holder 1 by means of compression springs 17 which are disposed in the horizontal plane as viewed in FIGURE 1 and are seated at one end in a recess 18 in the back wall 13 of the spur 12 and in a recess 19 in the back wall of the slot 11. An axially-slidable sleeve 20 is provided for retaining the spurs 12 in the apparatus and further for shifting the spurs 12 horizontally from the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 to a position where the surface 16 of the spur is at the same or less distance from the center of the holder 1 as the circumferential surface of the head plate 10 of the spur holder 8. The sleeve 20 has a lower section 20' of approximately the same diameter of the spindle 2 so as to be guided by the spindle 2. The lower section 20' of the sleeve 20 terminates at its upper end in a horizontal circumferential shoulder 21 terminating in a cylindrical, vertical portion 22 of greater diameter than the head portion cross member of the spindle extension 5. Actually the diameter of the enlarged portion 22 of the sleeve 20 is such as to contact the spur 12 approximately adjacent the center line of the spring 17 when the spurs 12 are in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1; that is, when the spurs are in the cup-engaging position. As a result of this dimensioning of the sleeve 22, there is little if any tendency of the spur to be tilted by rotation about the line of contact between its base and the upper surface of the member 5, by the action of the spring 17, and in consequence the problem of the spur binding in the slot 11 does not arise. It will be noted that the surface of the upper portion or the enlarged portion 22 of the sleeve 20 which engages the spur 12 is ground to the same angle as the surface 14 so as to provide an area of contact between the sleeve 20 and the spur 12 which eliminates scraping or wearing and binding of the members one against the other.

The diameter of the head portion of the spindle extension 5' should be such that the entire bottom surface of the spur 12 is always supported regardless of its position, other than this limitation the diameter of this portion of the spindle extension is not critical even though it is illustrated as being of the same diameter as the cylindrical body member 9 of the spur holder 8. The other dimension of interest with respect to the holder 1 is the total vertical height of the head plate 10 of the spur holder 8 and the lip 16 of the spur 12. The total vertical height of these two members must be no greater and preferably somewhat less than the total vertical height of the short downwardly extending skirt of the cup which is to be engaged by the holder. The cup which is to be supported on the holder 1 is partially illustrated by broken lines in FIGURE 1 and shows seating of the cup on the holder 1. The bottom of thecup is designated by the reference numeral 24 and rests on the upper surface of the head plate 10. The downwardly extending skirt designated by the reference numeral 25 is engaged by the lips 16 of the spurs 12.

The three spurs 12 define three points in space and as is well known three points in space define a circle. In consequence, the three spurs engage the skirt 25 of the cup at three-spaced locations to align the cup with the plate 10 and to provide sufficient holding force between the holder 1 and the cup to prevent loss of the cup during rapid rotation thereof during a coating process.

The mechanism for operating the sleeve 20 so as to retract or extend the spurs 12 may take many forms and may cooperate directly with the lower end of the sleeve 20 or the horizontally-extending portion 21 of the sleeve. In either event the springs 17 normally bias the spurs 12 outwardly which in turn tend to force the sleeve 20 downwardly. In a specific embodiment of the invention to be explained in detail subsequently when it is desired for the holder 1 to hold a cup, the sleeve 20 is allowed to assume a lowermost position as defined by a pin 26 which extends through and outwardly of the spindle 2 adjacent the lower edge of the sleeve 20. The ends of the pin 26 are disposed in diametrically opposed axial slots 27 in the sleeve 20 which cooperate with the upper ends of the slots 27 to define the lower of: mov ment of the sleeve 20.. When it is. desired to release. a cup from the holder 1, the holder 1 is conveyed over an inclined plane which engages the horizontal members 21 and forces the sleeve. 20 vertically upward as viewed in FIGURE 1 of the accompanying drawings. As indicated above other forms of operating mechanism may be employed, but as will appear subsequently the type oi operating mechanism described above. is most: appropriate for utilization with a conveying mechanism for the holder 1 to be described subsequently.

The holder 1 as illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the accern panying drawings readily retains a cup on he. holder once the cup has been properly positioned on the head portion of the spur holder 8. However; some. diffiCI-tlty has been experienced in the past in obtaining proper psitioning of the cup on the head plate 10. prior to release of the spurs 12 to the position illustrated in FIGURE. 1. In order to insure that the cups are properly positioned on the holder so as to insure positive. engagement of the lower skirt 25 of the cup by the spurs 12 the apparatus illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4 is employed. Referring specifically to FIGURES 3 and 4, a plurality of holders are supported on a conveyor generally designated by the reference numeral 29, the holders 1 being aligned with the direction of travel of the conveyor as indicated by the arrow 30. The spindle 2 of each holder 1 is rotatably supported for rotation about its axis in a cross member 32 through which the spindle 2 extends. The cross-members 32 are suspended between the two chains 33 and 34 of a chain conveyor which chains are supported on base portions 35 and 36, respectively, of two side elements 37 and 38 of the conveyor. Obviously, the type of conveyor employed need not be a chain conveyor, the specific conveyor employed depending upon the overall system in which the holder of the invention is to be employed. Disposed immediately under the circular flange 21 of the sleeve 22 are two parallel tracks 39 and 40 which are employed to control the movement of the sleeve for the purpose of positioning the spurs. Specifically, the tracks 39 and 40 are positioned to maintain the sleeves 20 in their uppermost position so as to retract the spurs 1 2. The tracks are provided respectively with downwardly sloping portions 41 and 42 which allow the sleeves 22 to descend slowly into contact with the stop members 26 on the spindles 2 in order to release the spurs 12 into contact with the skirt of a cup. The track members 39-41 and 40 -42 are supported on horizontal bars or members 43 and 44, respectively, which extend outwardly from the side members 37 and 38 of the frame of the conveyor.

As previously indicated some means must be provided to position the cup on the head plate 10 of the holder 1 to insure that the holder properly grips the cup. Normally, the cups are suspended above the conveyor on which the holders 1 are mounted and drop onto the holders at appropriately timed intervals. Obviously, it is quite difiicult to drop each and every cup squarely on the head plate 10 and is equally diflicult to time the release of the cup and the release of the spurs 12 so that the spurs engage and hold the cup the instant it becomes properly seated on the head plate 10. In order to position the cup properly on the head plate 10 and to hold the cup thus positioned until the spurs 12 are released, there is provided a plurality of pairs of arcuate members 45 and 46, each member of the pair being adapted to be positioned on opposite sides and generally above the holder 1 when the holder is in a loading position designated by the reference letter A in FIGURE 3. The mechanism for disposing of the arcuate members 45 and 46 on opposite sides and above the holder 1 adjacent the loading station A and for maintaining the members 45 and 46 adjacent the holder for the brief interval required for the members to position the cup on the holder and 6 for the spurs 12 to be released to engage the cup may take various forms and the form now to be described is merely exemplary.

In a specific arrangement illustrated in 3 and 4 a plurality of arcuate members 45 are mounted on arms 47 extending perpendicularly outward from an endless chain conveyor 48 which moves parallel to and in the same direction as the holder conveyor 29 for a predetermined length of movement as determined by the length of the endless conveyor. The members 46 are. similarly mounted on a plura ity of arms 49 e en perpendicularly outward from and secured to a second endless chain conveyor 50 disposed on an opposite side of the holder conveyor 29 from the endless chain conveyor; 48. The endless chain conveyors 48 and 50 comprise an endless chain 51 and 52, respectively, and two sprockets 53 and 54 and 55 and 56, respectively. The sprockets 54 and. 56 0f the conveyors 48 and 50, respectively, are arranged such that each pair of the arcuate members 45 and 46 are positioned adjacent a holder '1 prior to the holder becoming aligned with the cup load ing station A and remain adjacent their associated holder 1 until there has been ample time for the holder to engage the lip of the cup disposed on the holder at the loading station. The arcuate members have internal surfaces which conform exactly to the adjacent external surface of a cup when it is seated on the head 10 of the holder 1. The members '45 and 46 are disposed on opposite sides of the holder 1 so as to guide a cup onto the holder with the bottom skirt 25 and the bottom wall 24 seated on the head portion 10. In order to insure that each holder 1 is aligned with a pair of arcluate members 45 and 46 when at the loading station A, the movement of the conveyors 29, 48 and 50 are synchronized. It is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to a specific apparatus for positioning the arcuate members 45 and 46 with respect to the holders 1, the specific embodiment disclosed being employed for the purposes of description only.

After the cups have been positioned on the head portion 10 of the holder at the loading station A, the spine dles whose movement may be continuous or discontinuous at loading station, proceed past the station and the outwardly extending portion 21 of the sleeve 22 progrosses along the downwardly sloping portions 41 and 42 of the tracks 39 and 40, thereby permitting the sleeve 20 to move downwardly as viewed in FIGURE 4 to release the spurs 12 so that they engage the skirt 25 of the cup and hold the same securely. Thereafter the holders 1 are conveyed to a spraying chamber where the holders are rotated at a high speed by conventional means, not illustrated since it forms no part of the present invention.

It may be seen from the above that the present invention provides a simple and reliable cup holder and arrangement for positioning the cups on the holder. The holder comprises a few simple and even fewer movable parts and, therefore, is easily maintained and has a long life. These qualities of the holder coupled with the ease of loading the cups from the holder as provided by the loading mechanism of the present invention makes lfjclir an overall apparatus which is economical and relia- While I have described and illustrated one specific embodiment of my invention, it will be clear that variations of the general arrangement and of the details of construction which are specifically illustrated and described may be resorted to without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for holding a cup having a bottom wall and a short skirt depending downwardly therefrom, comprising a first member including an end member having a periphery of such a size as to be positionable internally of the short skirt and against the bottom wall of the cup, a plurality of spurs, said first member having a plurality of longitudinally-extending slots disposed immediately below said end member, each of said spurs being positioned in a different one of said slots and having an end portion adjacent said end member so as to be disposed internally of the short skirt of a cup when said end member is disposed internally thereof, said spurs being disposed in the slots for movement transversely of said first member between a first position wherein said end portions of said spurs are disposed internally of the periphery of said end member and a second position wherein said end portions of said spurs are disposed externally of the periphery of said end member and define a periphery at least as great as that of the skirt of the cup said spurs sloping inwardly from said end portion, a sleeve disposed about and axially slidable on said first member and disposed below said end portions of said spurs, means for biasing said spurs toward said second position and means for raising said sleeve to move said spurs to said first position.

2. A mechanism for retaining arcup on a holder and for initially positioning the cup on said holder comprising a pair of independently movable conical surface members, a holder adapted to engage the bottom of a cup inwardly of a short skirt depending downwardly from said bottom, said holder having spur means expandable into contact with the skirt of the cup, a conveyor, said holder being secured to said conveyor for movement past a loading station, means for disposing said conical surface members adjacent said holder at said loading station so as to define diametrically-opposed arcuate side portions for receiving a cup and aligning the skirt with said holder, means for expanding said spur means of said holder as said holder is conveyed past said loading station and means for withdrawing said conical surface members from adjacent said holder.

3. In combination, an axially elongated member having a plurality of peripherally-spaced axially extending grooves adjacent one end thereof, a plurality of spurs each positioned in a diflerent one of said grooves and slidable transversely to the axis of said member, means for biasing said spurs outwardly of said member, said spurs having surfaces sloping upwardly toward said one end of said member and outwardly thereof, a hollow sleeve disposed about said member and reciprocatable thereon, said sleeve slidably engaging said sloping surfaces of said spurs.

4. The combination according to claim 3 further comprising an enlarged head on said one end of said memher, said head having a smaller diameter than a circle defined by said spurs when expanded and a' diameter at least as large as a circle defined by said spurs when retracted.

5. In combination a cup holder and a cup positioning means for guiding a cup onto said holder, said cup holder having a head portion for engaging the bottom wall of said cup inwardly of a short downwardly depending peripheral skirt thereof, said cup holder being disposed on a conveyor means, a loading station for said cup, said cup positioning means comprising a pair of opposed members each having a surface configuration conforming to a region of the outer surface of the cup and means for selectively positioning said cup positioning means adjacent said loading station such that said opposed members are disposed above said holder to align the bottom of the cup with said holder when a cup is dropped from above said positioning means at said loading station.

6. In combination, a cup holder and a cup positioning means for guiding a cup onto said holder, said cup holder having a head portion for engaging the bottom Wall of said cup inwardly of a short downwardly depending peripheral skirt thereof, said cup holder being disposed on a conveyor means, a load station for said cup, said cup positioning means comprising a pair of opposed members each having a surface configuration conforming to a region of the outer surface of the cup and means for selectively moving said cup positioning means between a first position adjacent said loading station and a second position remote therefrom, said cup positioning means being moved to said first position when a cup is to be applied to said holder with said opposed members being disposed above said holder to align the bottom and skirt of the cup with said holder when a cup is dropped from above said cup positioning means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,799,571 Smith Apr. 7, 1931 1,945,846 Adams Feb. 6, 1934 1,979,089 Adams Oct. 30, 1934 2,083,618 Salfisberg June 15, 1937 2,233,070 Atwell et al Feb. 25, 1941 2,512,073 Sandberg June 20, 1950 

